Vacuum



Dec. 29 1925- VDLA. LEIGH VACUUM AND PRESSURE STABILIZER Filed Oct. 9, 1922 III Ill Ill Patented Dec. 29, lS ZE.

-UNITED STATES DON A. LEIGH, OF FELLOWS, CALIFORNIA.

VACUUM AND PRESSURE STABILIZER.

Application filed October 9, 1922. Serial No. 593,472.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Don-A. LEIGH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Fellows, in the county of Kern and State of California, have invented a new and useful vacuum and pressure stabilizer for use upon gas and air lines, at booster stations, or other forwarding points along such lines for theiequalization of pressure or supply of gas or air, to the pumping plant or forwarding power and the stabilization of such pumping machinery, of which the followin I is a specification.

fieference is made to application for patent filed in the United States Patent Ofiice simultaneously herewith, for a vacuum and pressure governor, regulator or control, Serial Number 593,471 and the description of the device therein specified and set forth, of which the device hereinafter described is adaptation, extension and enlargement of its uses. Such device in said application contained in so far as it may be applicable in its operation to the device hereinafter described is hereby adopted as part of the present application for use herein.

In pipe-lines conveying gas from Wells producing the same there is a variation of pressure in volume varying from vacuum to several pounds, and it becomes requisite and necessary where such' pipe-lines extend for a considerable distance, to establish at regularpoints in the length of such lines various propulsive devices in the nature of gas or air pumps to collect, condense, propel and forward such contents of the pipe-lines, which propulsive stations are in the terms employed in the field using such devices, called booster stations.

When the flow of gas from the wells becomes attenuated to an extent that there is practically a vacuum on the intake side of the pump at such booster station, there is an inequality of action produced because of the lack of gaseous content for the valves of the pump to act upon, and it becomes necessary in order to stabilize the operation of such pump to admit from the discharge of pressure side of the pipe-line beyond such pump, by means of a bypass, a portion of the gaseous content from the line in pressure to the pipe-line in vacuo.

This arrangement or effect has heretofore in the practice of operation of such pipelines been performed manually by an at tendant opening a gate valve or other appro' priate valve set in and connected on such bypass and when sufficient gas has been ad mitted to restore normal action to such pump, or there has been an influx of gas from the wells sufhcient therefor, to again close such valve, whereupon the pump continues its customary action.

In the device illustrated herewith, a fixed or certain vacuum can be maintained at all times in the pipe-line, at the vacuum pump, at such booster or forwarding station, regardless of the amount of gas received from the wells served, up to the full capacity of the pump.

This device is illustrated by Fig. 1, in the accompanying drawing showing an elevation thereof, with such parts cut away as to show the internal working of the same. In the bypass (l), in lieu of the gate valve above mentioned, there is inserted a butterfly valve (3). If a steady, continuous and ample supply of gas was at all times available from the supplying wells, it is apparent this butterfly valve could remain closed, and permit the uninterrupted flow of the gas through the main pipe-line direct without diversion. To maintain such a continuous supply of gas to the pump, the action of the device is as follows:

There is a line of pipe of small diameter (9), connected at its one extremity, to the pressure line and to the pressure chamber of the piston cylinder (2), at its other extremity. On the line of this pipe (9) or on the pressure chamber of the piston cylinder there is inserted a pop-valve with a weighted arm, so regulated as to release the pressure when the required and predetermined number of pounds has been reached; on the opposite side, or vacuum chamber of said piston cylinder, a similar pipe (6), is connected in like manner, but without the pop-valve, to the vacuum line.

The piston rod (5), is weighted with a counter balance (12), suspended over the sheave (11), which weight may be varied by addition or deduction, to accommodate a fixed pressure or vacuum. hen the vacuum has reached a point in power sufficient to overcome the weight of the suspended counter balance, by the exhaustion of the contents of the vacuum chamber of the piston cylinder (2), it draws backward the piston plunger (8), together with the piston rod (5), rotating the geared wheel (4), and opening the butterfly valve (8), allowing the diversion of the gaseous contents of the pressure line through the bypass, its re-entry to the pump, and maintaining the synchronous action thereof.

When the pressure in the pressure line, exceeds the power required to overcome the resistance of the pop-valve (10), the compressed gas is released into the pressure chamber of the piston cylinder, thereby aiding and re-enforcing the action of the vacuum on .the opposite side to overcome the weight of the suspended counter balance (12), driving forward the piston plunger (8), together with the piston rod (5), there by rotating the geared wheel (4-), and opening the butterfly valve (3), allowing the diversion of the gaseous contents of the pressure line as above described.

The action of the device is, in practice, entirely automatic, releasing from duty an attendant whose duty it was formerly to watch the gauges, and by manipulation ot the gate valve on the bypass hereinbefore described, to perform the functions now taken care of automatically by the device herein described.

Proper means for the lubrication of the cylinder of the piston to insure freedom of action of the piston plunger, is attached to the device as shown by the oil cup The device as illustrated, eliminating only the pipe (6), for lack of any vacuum line to connect with, can be used equally efficiently upon compressed air lines to regulate the flow and pressure of air supplied in the pumpingof water or oil wells, or the operation' of machines or other mechanical devices,by means of compressed air.

Fig. 2, shows a plan of the device.

The same numbers in each figure refer to identical parts.

I claim 1. In a by-pass pipe around an air or gas pump connecting the suction line with the discharge line of the pipeline upon which said pumpis used, the introduction Within such by-pass pipe of a valve of suitable type,- afiixed therein by a transverse shaft, one end of which extends through the wall of such by-passpipe, to which end there is externally afixed a cogged wheel; a toothed rod engaging such cogged wheel, and which rod at. its one end is attached to a plunger or piston, operating within an enclosed cylinder, and its opposite end is. attached to a pliable rope running over a pulley and weighted at its free end with a dependent receptacle for the accommodation of variable weights; said cylinder being connected at one end, beyond the point of movement of said plunger therein, by a pipe of smali diameter, with the pipe-line on the suction side of said pump, and at the opposite end of said cylinder, beyond the point of movement of said plunger therein by a like pipe of small diameter, with the pipe-line on the discharge side of said pump; said cylinder being fitted with apop-valve with an arm upon which slides a weight determining the pressure that will discharge said valve, the tap for which valve connection is into the compression side of the piston chamber; and together with a tapped entrance or duct on said cylinder to receive the stem of an oil cup for the purpose lubricating the same when the plunger therein is in action.

2. A. device similar in all respects to that described in claim 1 herein, except that the pop-valve mentioned is omitted from the cylinder, and is inserted on the line of pipe between said cylinder and the discharge or pressure side of the pipe-line on which said pump is used.

DON A. LEIGH. 

